Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing

Updated 4:37 PM ET, Wed September 25, 2013

Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing11 photos

1963 Birmingham church bombing – A grieving relative is led away from the site of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 15, 1963. Four black girls were killed and at least 14 others were injured, sparking riots and a national outcry.

Hide Caption

1 of 11

Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing11 photos

1963 Birmingham church bombing – From left, 11-year-old Denise McNair and 14-year-olds Carole Robertson, Addie Mae Collins and Cynthia Wesley were killed while attending Sunday services. Three Ku Klux Klan members were later convicted of murder.

Hide Caption

2 of 11

Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing11 photos

1963 Birmingham church bombing – Firefighters and ambulance attendants remove a body from the church.

Hide Caption

3 of 11

Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing11 photos

1963 Birmingham church bombing – Cars parked beside the church were damaged by the blast.

Hide Caption

4 of 11

Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing11 photos

1963 Birmingham church bombing – The 16th Street Baptist Church served as a rallying point during the civil rights movement. It was declared a national historic landmark in 2006.

Hide Caption

5 of 11

Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing11 photos

1963 Birmingham church bombing – Sarah Jean Collins, 12, lost an eye in the blast. Her sister was one of the girls who died.

Hide Caption

6 of 11

Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing11 photos

1963 Birmingham church bombing – Martin Luther King Jr. holds a press conference in Birmingham the day after the attack. He said the U.S. Army "ought to come to Birmingham and take over this city and run it."

Hide Caption

7 of 11

Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing11 photos

1963 Birmingham church bombing – Family and friends of Carole Robertson attend graveside services for her in Birmingham on September 17, 1963.

Hide Caption

8 of 11

Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing11 photos

1963 Birmingham church bombing – A man digs a grave for one of the girls.

Hide Caption

9 of 11

Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing11 photos

1963 Birmingham church bombing – A coffin is loaded into a hearse at a funeral for the girls. An estimated 8,000 people attended the service.

Hide Caption

10 of 11

Photos: 1963 Birmingham church bombing11 photos

1963 Birmingham church bombing – Mourners embrace at the funeral. In his eulogy, Dr. King said, "These children -- unoffending, innocent and beautiful -- were the victims of one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity."